Bowling ball carrier



1942- E. G. ROBERTS BOWLING BALL CARRIER Filed April 15, 1939 PIC-3.2

FIG. 6

PIC-3,4

INVENTOR. EDWARD 6. ROBERTS BY WWW ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 24, 1942 .UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOWLING BALL CARRIER Edward G. Roberts, Oak Park, 111.

Application April 15, 1939, Serial No. 268,016 I (Cl. 248-363) 2 Claims.

Mv invention relates generally to a carrier or receptacle for a bowling ball and more specifically to an improved resilient support for holding the ball in position. The support is sodesigned that it may be permanently secured in the bottom of a bag or may be made as a separate unit which may be inserted in or removed from a carrier or bag at will.

Among the objects of the invention are to pro vide a very substantial yet resilient support which is adequate to support the weight of the ball and which acts as a cushion which is rigid enough to prevent its collapse when a ball is dropped thereon accidentally so that no damage can be done to the surface of the ball or to other objects.

Another object is to provide a support in which the parts cooperate to provide a certain amount of suction to aid in holding the ball in position.

Other features and objects not specifically pointed out will be apparent from the following description and claims.

It will be appreciated by those familiar with bowling that known ways of carrying the heavy ball are not satisfactory. The usual round close fitting bag merely provides a convenient handle for carrying the ball. Some attempts have been made to provide a base structure in the old type ofbag by use of a fibre cup or base in the bottom of the bag. While this arrangement is of some improvement it still does not give adequate protection or prevent marring of the ball or a table or floor surface upon which the container is resting if the ball should be accidentally dropped.

1 have illustrated in the accompanying drawing one preferred embodiment illustrating the principles of my invention and it should be understood that various changes or modifications may be made in the details of the arrangement shown without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 shows a top view of one form of bowling ball support arranged to be inserted in one type of bag or carrier.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the device shown in Fig.

1 taken from the lower side thereof.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the device of Fig. 1

taken in the direction of the arrows along the line made especially for carrying a bowling ball and shoes with a ball support of my improved design shown in dotted lines therein.

Fig. '7 is a top view of a device similar to that shown in Figs. 1-4 with the pad upon which it is mounted of slightly different shape.

Fig. 8 is another enlarged sectional view taken in the direction of the arrows along line 88 in Fig. 7 and showing the bowling ball in place thereon.

I will now describe my invention in detail with reference to the drawing.

- In Fig. 1 I have shown as one form of my invention a support designed to be placed in the bottom of an ordinary dufile bag as shown in Fig.

- 5. This device comprises a fiat rubber mat I having its comers cut off as shown to facilitate easy insertion in and removal from the bag. On the mat I is cemented or vulcanized a solid rubber ring 2 which acts as the support for the bowling ball. A side view of the ring and mat is shown in Fig. 2 and a sectional view is shown in Fig. 3. The mat I isribbed on the under side as shown in Fig. 4 so that it will not slip and is smooth on its upper surface. The ring 2 is of molded semi-hard rubber which has considerable resiliency especially in the form shown. The ring has an inside surface 3 which is curved in a perfect circle as shown by the line 4 in Fig. 3 so that it exactly fits thecontour of a circular bowling ball. Inside the ring 2 and below the surface 3 the ring is under cut as shown at 5 in Figs. 3 and 8, leaving a lip 5 which is pressed down slightly by the weight of the ball. The ball when resting on the ring 2 always rests at least an eighth of an inch or more from the upper surface of the mat I in the center of the ring. Thus even though the ball is dropped from some distance above the ring, the hard rubber, even though it will give somewhat, will still prevent the ball from any more than touching the center of the mat I.

In Fig. 6 I have shown another type of carrier or bag 'I which is especially designed to carry a bowling ball and a pair of bowling shoes. This bag flares from the bottom to a greater width at the top to permit easy insert-ion of the ball and to provide room for the shoes to-be placed on top of the ball. This bag is usually of heavy canvas or duck and has the usual zipper closure at the top as indicated at 8. In this bag I have shown a ring 2 which is the same as that shown in the other figures, in dotted lines and have also indicated the bowling ball in place on the ring or support.

The ring 2 may in this case be permanently fixed by rivets or the like to the bottom of the bag I or it may also be detachably mounted therein and formed as shown in Fig. 7, with a mat I large enough to completely cover the bottom of any round bag. with reference to Fig. 8 which, as stated, is an enlarged sectional view with the bowling ball in place on the support, the lip 6 may be clearly seen with the undercut part 5. The lip 6, it will be seen, is bent down slightly toward the mat I by the weight of the ball'and thus a certain suction is provided between the ring and the mat l to aid in holding 4 the ball in place.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a very substantial base for supporting a bowling ball in a bag or carrier and one which acts not only to securely hold the ball in position but also acts as a very eflicient bumper to break the shock of a ball in case it is dropped into the bag. Also it will be seen that this support may either be made as a permanent part of the bag when manufactured or may be made and sold separately for any bag to convert the same into a carrier for a bowling ball. Thus the bags shown in Figs. 5 and 6 may be used as anal] purpose bag, for golf and bowling and the inserts as shown in Figs. 1-4 and '6 may be separately sol d for use only when a bowling ball is to be carried. In addition, of course, therings may be used separately in show rooms or wherever bowling balls are stored to hold the balls in position.

Having fully described the features and aspects of my invention, what I consider to be novel and desire to have protected by Letters Patent will be pointed out in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. As an article of manufacture, a bowling ball support comprising a ring molded of solid rubber having an opening in the center thereof, a lower surface on which the ring rests, an outside surface for the ring tapering upward and inward toward the center of the ring from said lower surface, an inner surface for the ring, forming said opening, extending upward from said lower surface, and a third surface of the ring joining said inner and outer surfaces and sloping at such an angle as to form an inverted cone shaped surface to support the bowling ball.

2. A bowling ball support as claimed in claim 1 including also a flat rubber mat cemented firmly to the lower surface of said ring, said mat conforming in shape to the inner contour of a carrier such as a traveling bag, the ring and mat cooperating to form a suction cup to hold a bowling ball securely thereon, and said ring and mat forming a removable unit for insertion in a traveling bag;

' EDWARD G. ROBERTS. 

